Manufacturing Briefs: Sertec; Warrior Doors; EEF

Ben Higgins, Group Commercial Director, Sertec

Automotive components firm Sertec has enhanced its senior management team with a brace of new appointments.

The appointments are both from within the existing business as the Coleshill-based company looks to ensure continuity in its approach.

The promotions see Ben Higgins become Group Commercial Director and Steve Morley, Group Engineering Director.

In his new role, Mr Higgins will take on direct responsibility for the current, medium and long-term commercial activity of the group, specifically, sales functions in support of Sertec’s principal customer Jaguar Land Rover.

Having started his career as an apprentice at Jaguar Cars, Mr Higgins has spent 11 years with Sertec, most recently as Group Logistics Director.

Group Managing Director Dave Steggles said: “The group’s success has been underpinned by the development of the talent within; Ben is one such employee. His appointment to the position of Commercial Director for the group demonstrates and reinforces the magnitude of opportunities available to employees who have the aptitude, drive and determination to succeed at Sertec.”

Mr Morley rises to his new position after 21 years of service with the firm.

He has developed a new group structure to support both current and emerging business opportunities, through which it will drive and deliver new projects, engineering expertise and future technologies.

In his previous role as director in charge of Group Projects, Mr Morley has driven Sertec’s research and development into lightweight weld technologies (in collaboration with JLR and Warwick University).

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Staff at Warrior Doors

Birmingham-based Warrior Doors has marked its 20th anniversary with record turnover and a commitment to continued growth.

The Tyseley company, one of the UK’s leading designers and manufacturers of security doors and entrance systems, specialising in bespoke security doors, screens and entrance systems for social housing groups, schools, retailers, and companies covering the critical national infrastructure sector, is set to achieve turnover of £2.5m – a far cry from the £23,000 it turned over in 1997.

Managing director Brett Barratt said: “I’m so proud of our achievements these past 20 years. Warrior Doors has grown from a micro-company operating out of a garage in Yardley to having a 15,000 sq ft unit and 35 members of staff.

“There have been tough times and there were moments during the recession of 2008 when I had to make staff redundant and feared that I’d have to close the company, but we rode through the storm, continued to invest in staff and machinery and are now well on our way to achieving record figures in our milestone year.”

In the past two years, the firm has invested £250,000 in specialist machinery, which has allowed it to bring much of the work associated with making the doors and frames in-house.

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Future apprentices in the West Midlands and their parents are being urged to attend an open day at the EEF’s new manufacturing and engineering technology hub in Aston.

The open day, on Saturday (May 6), will connect best in class employers with young people to discuss a range of apprenticeships in a wide range of sectors.

As well as getting a behind the scenes tour of the multi-million pound facility, the open day will offer people the opportunity to talk to trainers and current apprentices to find out what the training offers.

EEF currently trains 300 apprentices at the centre and is aiming to increase this to 400.

Christine Chapman, centre manager, said: “Engineering and manufacturing apprenticeships provide a highly-skilled career in a sector which is thriving right across the West Midlands and beyond. Employers have a strong demand for skills of this type and this day presents an ideal opportunity for young people and their parents to see the training centre in action and to discuss career options with a variety of employers.”

Details of the event are available on the EEF website.

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